A blinding burst of light shatters through my eyelids and I jerk awake, my heart pounding against my chest. My hands instinctively fly to my throat, still feeling the remnants of Axel's grip from last night.
Wait, I am still alive?
It had to be Axel, right? I saw that same necklace dangling around my attacker's throat, so who else would it be?
My eyes dart around the room, and I nearly let out a shriek as I realize where I am.
This isn't Cassie's dingy apartment. No, this is my old bedroom at my mother's house. How did I get here?
Shaken and confused, I sit up and take in my surroundings. The familiar antique clock on my nightstand reads 10:23 AM, but it feels like a different lifetime since I last saw it ticking away.
Confusion overwhelms me, but I don't waste any time. I quickly ra
